Hydraulic rotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and rudder systems

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic rotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and rudder systems, particularly on ships, with receiving grooves on the external sides of the rotor blades and/or the inside of the stator blades, and with sealing strips and elastic elements which are radially displaceable in said receiving grooves. Slave blades are provided between the sealing strips and the elastic elements over the entire length of the rotor. The slave blades are held in the receiving grooves with clearance so as to be radially displaceable and project beyond the outsides of the rotor blades and the insides of the stator blades and are designed to ensure hermeticity on all sides. The sealing strips together with the slave blades and the elastic element form one single sealing unit.

United States Patent Ehluss et al. 1

[54] HYDRAULIC ROTARY-BLADE PIVOT DRIVE FOR HYDRO-STABILIZERS AND RUDDERSYSTEMS [72] Inventors: Heinz-Gunter Ehluss, Tornesch; Erich Wessel,Hamburg, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Howaldtswerke-Deutsche WerftAktiengesellsc'haft Hamburg und Keil, Hamburg, Germany [22] Filed: May8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 35,709

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 4, 1969 Germany ..P 19 33963.0

[52] U.S.Cl ..92/l25,418/l20,418/123, 418/124, 277/85 [51] Int.Cl...F0lc 9/00,F16j 15/38 [58] Field ofSearch ..92/l25, l24;4l8/ll4, 120,418/124, 268, 119, 122, 123, 266, 267, 136, 266;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,966,144 12/1960 Self..92/125 [451 May 2,1972

2,466,389 4/1949 Davis ..92/124 3,277,796 10/1966 Wessel et al. ..92/1253,053,236 9/1962 Selfet a1 ..92/l25 2,960,076 11/1960 Henry ..92/125Primary ExaminerMartin P. Schwadron Assistant Examiner-A. M. ZupcicAttorney-Markva, Smith & Kruger [57] ABSTRACT A hydraulic rotary-bladepivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and rudder systems, particularly onships, with receiving grooves on the external sides of the rotor bladesand/or the inside of the stator blades, and with sealing strips andelastic elements which are radially displaceable in said receivinggrooves. Slave blades are provided between the sealing strips and theelastic elements over the entire length of the rotor. The slave bladesare held in the receiving grooves with clearance so as to be radiallydisplaceable and project beyond the outsides of the rotor blades and theinsides of the stator blades and are designed to ensure hermeticity onall sides. The sealing strips together with the slave blades and theelastic element form one single sealing unit 4 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresPatented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet .L

IN VEN TOR HE/NZ -GUNTER EHLUSS ER/CH WESSEL BY r A T ORNEYS PatentedMay 2, 1972 3,659,503

2 Sheets-Shoot L.

IN vE/vm/a s HE/NZ -GUNTER EHLUSS ER/CH WESSEL QB) rM AT T RNEYSHYDRAULIC ROTARY-BLADE PIVOT DRIVE FOR HYDRO-STABILIZERS AND RUDDERSYSTEMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ahydraulic rotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and ruddersystems, particularly on ships, with receiving grooves on the externalsides of the rotor blades and/or the insides of the stator blades, andwith sealing strips and elastic elements which are radially displaceablein the grooves.

Systems are known in which, in a rotary-blade motor for rudderinstallations, the torque is transmitted to the body of the vessel viadevices which compensate positional inaccuracies, preferablynon-rotating couplings or elastic elements (cf. German Patentspecification No. 893,31 1).

As regards drives for hydro-stabilizers, systems are known (cf. GermanPatent specification No. 1,195,189) in which the outer part of therotary-blade drive is connected with the stabilizing surface viatransversally elastic coupling members.

A hydraulic rudder system is also known (of. German Patent specificationNo. 899,178) in which the narrow sides of the blades are provided withgrooves in which sealing bars are inserted, elastic sealing rings beingintercalated. In these cases one sealing bar is placed on the uppersurface and another on the lower surface of the blade, while two sealingbars, offset in relation to the upper and lower bars, are provided onthe side surfaces.

In the known pivot drives, elastic coupling elements and suspensions arerequired. When the housing suffers deformations due to high pressures,the rotor is liable to scrape against its wall. The separate componentsof the pivot drive must be manufactured to very narrow tolerances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the invention to provide ahydraulic rotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and ruddersystems with a radially and axially displaceable rotor operating withoutelastic intermediate elements.

To attain this object the present invention provides a hydraulicrotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and rudder systemswherein slave blades are provided between the sealing strips and theelastic elements over the entire length of the rotor, said slave bladesbeing held in the receiving grooves with clearance so as to be radiallydisplaceable and projecting beyond the outsides of the rotor blades andthe insides of the stator blades and being designed to ensurehermeticity on all sides, said sealing strips together with said slaveblades and said elastic elements facing one single sealing unit.

The blade rotor is thus rendered radially and axially displaceable andalso tiltable, for which purpose, in addition to sealing masks (axialsealing), the slave blades are provided with soft rubber sealing ringsof the same fitted length, placed beneath them and having a hardwear-resisting casing, and are used as radial sealings, positioned inthe receiving grooves of the blade.

The spaces of the sealing rings, which are subjected to a certaininitial stress when being inserted, are made wide enough to ensure thatthey are caused by the changes in the operating pressure to move ontoone side or the other of the groove in the blade, thus opening thoseinlets to the oil chambers of the mask supports through which a flow isrequired according to the side on which pressure is prevailing at thetime.

In the event of an intensive supply of pressure oil to the rotor or tothe blades, the movable sealing unit comprises a control tongue assemblyof U-shaped profile and a slave blade having a semicircular cavity inone of its ends, and the control tongue assembly rests by its web on thebase of the groove, while that end of the slave blade which is providedwith the semicircular cavity is directed towards said base, the controltongues of the control tongue assembly elastically resiliently fittinginto said semicircular cavity, that end of the slave blade which isfurther away from the base of the groove resting against the internalsurface of the rotor housing and against the stator blade or the rotorhub.

In a further development of the invention the control tongue assembliesof U-shaped profile possess a flexurally rigid web onto which thetongues are shaped substantially at right angles, the said tongues beingprovided with internal linings of soft rubber and being flexible asregards their distance from each other and possessing spring-backresilience.

To ensure an axial sealing effect the web of the control tongue assemblyis also provided with holes through which cavities of mask supports usedas means for sealing the rotor in the axial direction, can be fedindependently of the changes taking place in the direction of rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Several embodiments of the inventionwill now be described by way of example and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a pivot drive according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a control tongue assembly before beingprestressed;

FIG. 3 shows a detail marked Z of FIG. 1, on an enlarge scale;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a sealing unit according to asecond embodiment, and

FIG. 6 is a similar view of simplified sealing unit according to a thirdembodiment, comprising an elastic roller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 4 show a pivot driveaccording to the invention which consists of a housing 5 of circularcross section, normally closed by a cover not shown in the drawings. Thepivoting range is defined by two diametrically opposed stator blades 6which are rigidly connected to the internal periphery of the housing 5,and by a rotor 2 which is including its blades 1 rotatably mountedbetween said stator blades 6. The rotor 2 is affixed to a shaft 7 thatis to be driven. In the blades 1 and in the rotor 2, receiving grooves26, situated opposite one another in pairs, extend over the entirelength of the rotor, parallel to the axis of the latter, a radiallymovable sealing unit being inserted in each of said grooves. Each ofsaid sealing units consists of a slave blade 3 respectively 23 ofplastics material or metal hollowed out towards the base of the grooveto form a semicircular cavity 25, and of a U-shaped control tongueassembly 4 respectively 24 which rests by its web on the base of thegroove and of which the tongues 17 and 18 fit into the semicircularcavity 25. The slave blades 3 and 23 and the control tongue assemblies 4and 24 fit in accurately in accordance with the width of the workingchambers or of the blades 6. The control tongue assemblies 4 and 24 havea strong rubber fabric web 27 which is provided with holes 22 and restson the base of the groove 26. The two vertical tongues l7 and 18 areformed integral with the web 27 so as to extend initially verticallytherefrom, producing a kind of U- profile, and are rendered flexible inthe direction towards each other by means of an internal lining 20 ofsoft rubber which possesses spring-back resilience and is capable ofbending inwards in alternation, in accordance with the side on which theoil pressure occurs.

The rotor shaft 7 with the rotor 2 is displaceable in a radial directionin the housing 5, in accordance with the width of a gap 8.

The axial displaceability of the rotor 2 is indicated by gaps 9 shown inFIG. 4. The flexible bridging of the gaps 9 is effected by a metal mask10 and a mask support 11. The mask support 11 is made of rubber and hasa U-shaped profile resulting in a cavity 12 situated under the entiremask.

If, for example, the chambers 13 and 14 are fed with pressure oil, theworking chambers 15 and 16 being connected with the oil return conduit,the rotor 2 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 28 as far asit contacts the stator blades 6. In this process the pressure oil, viathe gap 8, moves past the side of the slave blade 3 which comes to restagainst the opposite wall 29 of the groove 26, and reaches the controltongue assembly 4. The tongue 17 (FIG. 3) is bent slightly inwards, inopposition to the deformation resistance of the internal lining 20 ofsoft rubber, as a result of which the pressure is propagated into theoil-filled chamber 21 and also, via the holes 22, into the cavity 12,the internal cavities of the mask supports 11, which are used as devicesfor sealing the rotor 2 in the axial direction, can thus be suppliedwith operating pressure, regardless of the change taking place in thedirection of rotation. During this time the tongue 18 seals ofi theworking chamber 15.

When the rotor 2 rotates in the opposite direction the pressure in theworking chamber 15 is maintained by means of the control tongue 18. Theslave blade 23 and the control tongue assemblies 24 operate on theprinciples already described.

The only difference is that the control tongue assembly 24 does notrequire holes 22, because in this case there are no inlets into thecavities 12 of the mask.

The slave blades 3 and 23 follow up under the effect of the prestressingof the tongues 17, 18 and particularly under that of the oil pressure inthe oil-filled chamber 21, on the rotation of the housing surface and ofthe housing blade contact surface. Radial displacements of the rotor 2are continuously bridged by the control tongue assemblies 4 and 24,towards the masks l0, and only manifest themselves in a greater orsmaller degree of curvature in the control tongues 17 and 18, which thenperform slight relative sliding movements in relation to the cavity 25of the slave blades.

The advantages of a sealing system consisting of slave blades andcontrol tongue assembly are due in particular to the possibility therebyprovided, in the case of a hydraulic rotating pivot drive system, ofensuring considerable radial rotor displacements accompanied by highoperating pressures and a good sealing effect, a combinationrepresenting a property usable for a variety of purposes. An advantageoffered by this system from the point of view of manufacture resides inthe fact that the parts of these specially profiled slave blades and ofthe sealing system consisting of control tongue assemblies can beproduced in a simple manner from prefabricated material in bar form, bycutting it to the required lengths, which are then fitted into theapparatus.

In the case of moderated pressures sealing units as shown in FIGS. and 6can be used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the sealing means consistof a sealing strip 30, a slave blade 31 and an elastic element 32. Theslave blade 31 has lateral clearance in a groove 33, so that it can bedisplaced from the pressure side to the pressureless side as required.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, elastic rollers 34 are arranged insemicircular grooves 35 to form a sealing unit.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed is:

l. A hydraulic rotary-blade pivotdrive for hydro-stabilizers and ruddersystems, particularly on ships comprising a. a stator having acylindrical internal surface,

b. a rotor mounted in said stator and having a cylindrical externalsurface,

c. a plurality of receiving grooves in at least one of said surfaces andextending along the length thereof, and

d. a sealing unit in each of said grooves comprising a longitudinallyextending slave blade mounted in each of said grooves for radialdisplacement and projecting beyond the surface in which each groove islocated, and elastic means positioned in said receiving groove betweensaid slave blade and the base of said groove,

e. said slave blade including a semi-circular cavity adjacent saidelastic means, and

f. said elastic means being radially displaceable in said receivinggroove to press said slave blade against the surface opposite thesurface in which said groove is located,

and comprising an elon ated resilient member having a generally U-shapedpro e with a central web portion and control tongues extendingtransversely from opposite sides of said web portion, the web portionresting against the base of said groove and said control tongueselastically resiliently fitting into the semi-circular cavity of saidslave blade whereby a chamber is formed defined by said resilient memberand said semi-circular cavity in said slave blade.

2. A rotary-blade pivot drive in accordance with claim 1, wherein saidweb portion is flexurally rigid and said tongues extend therefrom atsubstantially right angles with respect to said web portion, the sidesof said tongues facing each other being provided with internal liningsof soft rubber whereby said tongues are resiliently flexible towardseach other.

3. A rotary-blade pivot drive in accordance with claim 1, furthercomprising mask supports for sealing the rotor in the axial direction,said mask supports including a cavity therebetween, the web portion ofeach control tongue being provided with at least one hole whereby saidchamber communicates with said cavity.

4. A rotary-blade pivot drive in accordance with claim 1 wherein saidslave blade comprises resilient sealing means positioned against thesurface opposite the surface in which said groove is located.

1. A hydraulic rotary-blade pivot drive for hydro-stabilizers and ruddersystems, particularly on ships comprising a. a stator having acylindrical internal surface, b. a rotor mounted in said stator andhaving a cylindrical external surface, c. a plurality of receivinggrooves in at least one of said surfaces and extending along the lengththereof, and d. a sealing unit in each of said grooves comprising alongitudinally extending slave blade mounted in each of said grooves forradial displacement and projecting beyond the surface in which eachgroove is located, and elastic means positioned in said receiving groovebetween said slave blade and the base of said groove, e. said slaveblade including a semi-circular cavity adjacent said elastic means, andf. said elastic means being radially displaceable in said receivinggroove to press said slave blade against the surface opposite thesurface in which said groove is located, and comprising an elongatedresilient member having a generally Ushaped profile with a central webportion and control tongues extending transversely from opposite sidesof said web portion, the web portion resting against the base of saidgroove and said control tongues elastically resiliently fitting into thesemi-circular cavity of said slave blade whereby a chamber is formeddefined by said resilient member and said semi-circular cavity in saidslave blade.
 2. A rotary-blade pivot drive in accordance with claim 1,wherein said web portion is flexurally rigid and said tongues extendtherefrom at substantially right angles with respect to said webportion, the sides of said tongues facing each other being provided withinternal linings of soft rubber whereby said tongues are resilientlyflexible towards each other.
 3. A rotary-blade pivot drive in accordancewith claim 1, further comprising mask supports for sealing the rotor inthe axial direction, said mask supports including a cavity therebetween,the web portion of each control tongue being provided with at least onehole whereby said chamber communicates with said cavity.
 4. Arotary-blade pivot drive in accordance with claim 1 wherein said slaveblade comprises resilient sealing means positioned against the surfaceopposite the surface in which said groove is located.